Alexander

He captured ten of the Gymnosophists who had done most to get Sabbas to revolt, and had made the most trouble for the Macedonians. These philosophers were reputed to be clever and concise in answering questions, and Alexander therefore put difficult questions to them, declaring that he would put to death him who first made an incorrect answer, and then the rest, in an order determined in like manner; and he commanded one of them, the oldest, to be judge in the contest.

The first one, accordingly, being asked which, in his opinion, were more numerous, the living or the dead, said that the living were, since the dead no longer existed. The second, being asked whether the earth or the sea produced larger animals, said the earth did, since the sea was but a part of the earth. The third, being asked what animal was most cunning, said: That which up to this time man has not discovered.

The fourth, when asked why he had induced Sabbas to revolt, replied: Because I wished him either to live nobly or to die nobly. The fifth, being asked which, in his opinion, was older, day or night, replied: Day, by one day; and he added, upon the king expressing amazement, that hard questions must have hard answers.